Monday

There is a heat wave around the nation at the moment - so it's fairly apt the two of the teams that played each other over the weekend were the Brisbane Heat and the Perth Scorchers. The sport? Don't know … but the Heat won!

We thought of Sooz's brother this morning when she saw the headline "Check the halls and fill your trolley …" because he has been the King of Newspaper Headlines ... his were legendary, but unfortunately, lost to me at the moment, although I do remember there was one about someone being "battered in a fish and chip shop".

Today was another filled with pre-Christmas activity - more hitting the shops to finish the present buying. Luckily we were able to stay in Nerang because, according to An and Vi when we saw them this evening at Trivia, the traffic on the Coast was absolutely horrendous.

I've decided that it probably isn't a good idea to get into the habit of having a nana nap in the afternoons ... it may be too hard to break that one when I go back to work! Of course, I was great having one this afternoon and, once again, when the alarm went off, I set it for a half-hour later and went back to sleep.

We could have used that extra half-hour for wrapping, of course, but we did manage to get the Davies' gifts wrapped before we went and there will be time tomorrow to get out the scissors, paper and sticky tape and put on a Christmas CD or two.

Trivia was good tonight ... Vi came with An - leaving Sy at home with her relatives, two of whom arrived at lunchtime. They're planning to send all the visitors with Syl out on a cruise of the canals and the Nerang River tomorrow so Anita can continue preparations for their Christmas Eve dinner.

We didn't manage to get on to the Podium this evening - we were one point off - but there's still next week to record our last win for the year.

Sunday

Santa at the Markets

Tr was a bit hung-over for the Skype call this morning - she and Te had been out late celebrating Christmas with the neighbours ... and it's one party where Tr can have an extra glass of Christmas Cheer or two because they don't have to drive home! Still, she was in good form, and they were still planning to do their Sunday Morning Walk after the call - perhaps even the hilly one which, by all accounts, is more of a climb than a walk.

Christmas here continues. True to their newsletter, Santa was at the Turf Club Markets this morning. It was good to see him out and about - but not just because folk thought he was giving out lollies (count us in) from the giant basket he was carrying ... it turned out to be little packets of reindeer food (raw oats - count us in!).

Portraiture

Santa very kindly agreed to have his photo taken with us - and what started out as a cunning and devious plan by me to get our Christmas Card photo for next year turned out to be a photo with all the girls at the Markets at the time. You can't even see the boys are in the background sitting at the end of the table - possibly because the focus of the shot is Mouse sitting (almost) on Santa's knee!

There was more photography as usual as well - and not just because I'd taken a "real" camera this time. Syl, focusing more on her photography, is reading books on portraiture and that some of the best photos are taken when your subject is aware that you're taking them.

Portraiture

There was a biggish turnout at the Markets - Syl and An came - bring Syl's father and brother, as well as An's friend Vi who is also spending Christmas with them.

Post-Markets we were off to do Christmas shopping and made our way to Pacific Fair - which wasn't as crowded as we thought it might be. Mind you, there were enough people around ... and why is it that people just stop in their tracks when they decide to text on their phones? Don't they have the app which lets you text while you walk - showing what's ahead of you using the phone's rear camera?

Then home ... in time to do a Skype call with Li and El in Sydney. That was good fun and we were just wrapping up when Sooz received a message from M asking if she would feed the furries.

The furries are all good and, I admit it, I have taken the opportunity to rub my hand over Pearl's tummy to feel the fur that's growing back. It's amazing how fast it grows - although it still has a very long way to go. It doesn't seem to bother her though. I'm not sure what they did to her at the Vet's - or what else they did besides the tests - but Pearl does seem to be a bit more alert these days - doesn't seem to be puffing as much, and certainly seems to have stopped making those old dog noises when she sits down and gets up.

Maggie has moved out of the bathroom and now seems to be content to spend most of her time on the coffee table.

 

Saturday

Late start - reset the alarm!

Early call from We - it will be good to see them all next week.

A much appreciated day off - to breakfast, Post Office, Chemist, Bunnings and OfficeWorks in search of Christmas presents.

Me came to visit Sooz. She is up this way visiting her sister.

Dinner and dancing this evening.

Pearl's fur has started to grow back on the shaved patch.

Almost connected with Tinka yesterday afternoon - yet another day when she didn't move for the car.

Grape vine hasn't survived. Time to cut it back and see if it will start growing again.

Played with the new telephoto lens this afternoon. Managed to get a bit more in focus than I have on previous attempts - and learnt how to set the aperture and shutter speed independently of each other (as much as that is possible given the interrelationship that exists between them)!

(Obviously on holidays - grammar/full sentences/syntax on vacation too!)

Friday

Today was the last day at work for a fortnight. Do you remember what it was like getting out of school for the holidays? Well, it was a bit like that this afternoon. Now to turn our minds to all things Christmas!

Thursday

RBs in situ

Well, the days don't get much busier than this ... a full day of work, plus a combined effort to finish catering for and laying out the spread for this afternoon "Christmas Feast" as it has now been dubbed. We're desperately trying to get everything in the computer for the end of month so while some fingers were flying over keyboards, others were trying to keep their fingers on as they chopped fruit, vegetables, ham and other goodies for the table. They had to be careful too ... they were using the new Forever Sharp knives and we know that they will not hesitate to take out skin, flesh and bone if they get the slightest chance. Luckily there were no injuries ... and everyone who ate the chicken did manage to survive. The girls were a little worried about the chicken because we had several - probably a dozen - hot chickens from Coles - picked up at 10 - and they had to be "safe" to eat at 4 - and there was no room in the fridge for them. In the end, to help our "catering team" feel a bit better about it - we decided to keep them (that would be the chickens ... not the catering team) warm under a shock blanket from one of the first aid kits ... and it did the trick because the chickens were still more than warm come plating up time! That being said, I'm not sure any of the "catering team" had chicken - Le had to race off to the dentist to get a Root Canal - and left before the meal was given the ... ready, steady, go - I don't think those were the exact words but they weren't far off. AC and I abstained - for no particular reasons except that we felt like ham instead.

AC and Le had done a great job of giving the tables a very "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" feel ... and M's RBs were given pride of place in the middle of the tables ... and they were a big success!

Christmas lunch

As it turned out the "lunch" didn't last very long at all - it was just under 40 minutes from the time they started eating to the time they were trooping off to go home. We were impressed that a couple of the guys did stay back to help AC and I clear away the mess ... so it could be just another ordinary work day around here tomorrow.

Then it was home to change and go in to TBH for a spot of dinner (The Combo Stir Fry x 3) and then some time at the CSP table for me, Sooz-CSP-roulette-watching for M, and poker machines for Sooz ... and we didn't stay late tonight ... the Monday and Tuesday late nights were still "around".

It was Sooz's last day today and she, Jen and one other person from the team braved the Broadwater to have lunch at The Grand Hotel. Gin-and-tonics and Coconut Prawns later, as well as some Christmas Cheer generally, they were happy to call it a day and Jen dropped Sooz back to Latimers before heading off down the Coast towards home herself - although it has changed ... she and Jo have recently purchase a new place closer to the coast - and leased out their old one - so there are changes in the air for them too.

Did I mention we didn't do that well on the Gaming Floor at TBH - although, the CSP tables weren't as unkind as they could have been - given how many times the dealer didn't open during the evening ... in the end we walked away just $1 down. It's much better than some other nights we've been!

 

Wednesday

Before the RBs

I think it was a good decision not to take Pearl for a walk this morning - she so much looks forward to the treat at the end of it (sometimes I think that's the only reason she comes) and there would be no treat this morning ... we couldn't undo the good work from not feeding her last night. Why is it that she had to have NIL BY MOUTH in lead-up to the tests? Yes, they were going to have a look down her throat, and do an scan - but that hardly seems invasive enough to justify knocking her out ... hence the NBM. She wasn't too happy when the time came to go ... especially when she found out she had put on 200 gm since the last time!

One shaved Pearl!

As it turned out there was no definitive answers from the test - there might be something wrong with her/there might not, she might have Cushings Disease/she might not. Anyway she could go through more tests - M will be giving that some thought - and/or there could be a urine collection at home for testing ... this would, it seems, give a definitive answer re the Cushings - but then what would be the decision ... to treat or not to treat ... that would be the question. I'm not sure if Pearl looks dashing or not with her new shaving ... but it certainly looks, and feels, different and really does demonstrate her three layers of fur ... which the Tevs full-well know about since it took them two blades to effect the shave!

In the middle of RBs

M made RumBalls (RBs) tonight-lots and lots of them (Thanks again M) - it took her hours but she did a great job and I'm very much looking forward to sharing them with the work colleagues at our Christmas "lunch" tomorrow. I write "lunch" because it isn't scheduled to start until 4pm - there was something about making sure the work day wasn't interrupted by the celebrations.

Sooz had a busy day at work today and she was fairly tired by the time she arrived home. She stayed awake though and we drank tea and talked and talked with M as she cooked - if that's what you call it when you make RBs ... and when we weren't talking with her - S was off doing something with the television and I was between M's computer and mine trying to install iOS7 on M's iPhone - making sure the iPhone was backed up before I even started on the system upgrade ... I've heard of too many machines falling over in the back-up and being lost forever .... or taking a significant amount of time to reconstitute. I finally finished it at 10:32pm - after M had finished the RBs, seen them into the fridge, and taken herself off to bed.

She's not finished in the kitchen yet though ... before Christmas, the rumous is that she will be making some more RBs and even some biscuits for Len - her usual JP partner most weeks.

 

Tuesday

"A tree fell on my house" one of the other customers proclaimed at Maccas this morning - and because of that she was after anyone who could tell her where she could get some help to remedy the situation. Finally someone was able to tell her and by the time I left, she was in the middle of a phone call with someone who was about to come out to take care of her roof - and assess the damage caused by the fall. You just never know what type of damage a storm is going to wreak - and it's no wonder they put out those storm warnings reminding everyone to "batten down the hatches".

Triva dinner

When we were talking about it at dinner tonight with Sy - and how scared Sooz was when the storm roared over Latimers yesterday - she said it sounded like a 747 was about to land on the house (reminder of the remake of "War of the Worlds" when the plane did almost fall on the house) - Syl offered to come out and do a "storm proofing" - so Sooz would know how to be "safe" if it happened again - and given the regularity with which we are being hit with big storms, I would say that would be a "when" rather than an "if".

The dinner, was, of course, and finally, our Trivia Team dinner - mostly paid for by our $250 win in the draw some months back now. Prompted by Sooz, we decided to go to the Mecca Bah in Broadbeach - and we ended up as 12 in all - including most everyone who has been at our Trivia table at one point or another (except for the French visitors, Jean-Louis, Pat and Lou and ... I think that's about it for the missing folk). It was a great meal, helped along by excellent choices by Fl and Mi ... great company ... and a bit of a late night - which was a shame given it was the second late night in a row ... and as I arrived home I rejoiced in the fact that we hadn't arranged to do the Tallai Trivia tomorrow evening.

The new Nikon

Syl had her new camera at dinner tonight - she is keen to get back into photography and a new Nikon would seem just the thing to do it with ... including a wide and telephoto lens. I don't know how they manage to keep making these things more compact ... Nik would look like a giant compared to Syl's. (I must make some time to learn how to use my new telephoto lens - it's no good if it just sits in the bag!)

When we did arrive home, we had to remember not to give Pearl any treats because she has a Tev visit in the morning - to have some tests to find out why she's puffing (could be her liver) and why her mouth appears to be bleeding.

Did I mention that I made the quickest of trips into OfficeWorks on the way home. I may be going there too often - either that or business is slow there although I wouldn't believe that for a second - the staff have started offering to help while I'm in store! I guess that's better than me having to track them down to ask them for help ... because you know I would (and do!)!

 

Monday

Rain barrow

It definitely is storm season ... Latimers was hit but another one this afternoon. Sooz said it sounded like a 747 was about to land and she was saying she did feel concerned! It dumped a fair amount of rain too - judging by the amount of water in the wheelbarrow. Except for leaf litter all over the place, it doesn't appear to have done any major damage. Meanwhile, over at the work site, very little rain fell at all ... I know because AC had organised a poll and we ended up with under 4mm in total. They didn't get much rain at Broadbeach either - athough M could see the storm clouds over Latimers from there.

On the way home from Trivia, we stopped in at the Bundall Mail Centre and posted our Chrissy cards, Mouse's puzzles for this week plus some mail for work. It's the most mail I've sent at one time since I used to send out press releases way back when (and that is a year a two back now).The power was still out by the time I arrived home but that was okay because we had a short turnaround before it was time to head in to the Southport RSL for Triva. I'm not sure whether it was because we were misfiring as a team, or because Anita is away or because the questions were harder but we weren't even near the Podium this evening. And there were no meat tray wins either even though both Sooz and Ni had tickets tonight.

And speaking of Christmas, Sooz had a busy day today (even though she wasn't at work) doing decorating ... and she's done a fantastic job! As we thought, it really is beinning to look a lot like Christmas!

Sunday

It was a good call with Tr this morning and quite interesting ... during her travels last week she had attended a conference with a motivation speaker - talking about reaching your goals - and he had an Olympian (here's one I prepared earlier) with him. The Olympian Was a Bronze-Medal-winning Archer - quite fitting since the prime message was about how to hit your target. Even though they were in a meeting rooms, the set up the target and he demonstrated his prowess. He must have been good because when he held up a pear (rather than the traditional William Tell apple - and wouldn't it be great if that was a type of apple)? - someone did volunteer. But rather than shooting the fruit off his head they taped his business card to the target and the archer then shot it with an arrow. The difficult part was that since he started archering as a teenager, he's been aiming at round things - another good reason for him not to try to shoot a pear off someone's head!! The other interesting thing was when they asked how many times he aimed at the target, he said it was only about the 40%of the time-the rest of the time you weren't aiming straight at the target because there were other factors that would come to bear like wind speed or direction or, for business, market forces etc.

Mouse setting the Markets table

The Markets were a good place to show everyone that was there the damage from the storms - the felled gum, the collapsed caravan... but not the debris from the shed under construction or the horse floats that had all been blown into the centre of the arena. I still find it quite amazing that no horses were injured by the flying tin and that Jas actually saw the caravan picked up and tossed over the fence, get tossed back, and then collapse!

And it looks as though M's RumBalls might be making an appearance in the near future ... she was talking of making some in the coming week - she had mentioned that "we" would be making them but she will do it - in exchange for my updating her phone to iOS7. While that seems like a simple enough proposition ... we'll have to see how her computer behaves itself.

Mouse and M went off to the TBH Xmas Ball tonight - and stayed overnight. As usual, M took her ironing in with her - not sure if it was the entire pile but enough. Of course, when she set off, I didn't realise until she mentioned it that her overnight at Broadbeach meant I would be one of the litterati again aka responsible for cat litter land.

M ready for the Ball

Sooz and I spent some of this afternoon washing ... but the fun thing was doing the Christmas Cards. We haven't organised our own this year (I think we set a pretty high standad last year) so we did some commercial ones .... and we managed to get them all addressed, written in and stamped ... or thought we had until we remembered others that should have but had not made it on to the list. We had more stamps but, alas, not more cards, so we'll have to get some more before we can send them off.

 

Saturday

We started the morning with a bit of a sleep-in before meeting M fresh from her Deep Water Running for breakfast as Daniel Stuarts. 42Fifteen is no longer open for breakfast on a Saturday morning - so that makes the choice of venue very much easier! Alas, Syl and An didn't join us ... but maybe next week!

Storm brewing

There's nothing quite like the smell of freshly cut grass - or the sound of ROM zooming around the lawn - although the sound is much nicer the closer to the engine you are i.e. when you're the one on ROM. M seemed to be loving it when she was doing it today so I can't begrudge her that ... and she and ROM did a great job.

Sooz and M were off tonight to see Human Nature at The Big House - stopping in at the Q Centre on the way there to have some dinner. The Fast Wok is always good and because they have such a high turnover, the food is always fresh and tasty. Sooz have her favourite – HiNam chicken - while M lashed out and trIed something new – the Gumbo chicken. - which sounds as though it was very nice - so. nice, in fact, that M said she would have it again!

In the end I decided not to go to Broadbeach with them. There was a suggestion that M could perhaps get another ticket for me to see Human Nature - but I thought if we could not it would make a very long wait In at the Casino - especially as there was a storm brewing over Broadbeach and it looked as though the Carols there tonight (featuring Marina Prior) might be washed out - and therefore not an option. The clouds did look amazing out here - and even more so closer to them. Sooz texted from Broadbeach to say the cloud formations were amazing!

Lemons

So the furries and I stayed home, doing little jobs around the place, and amassing something like 2,500 steps in trips up and down the house, alternating jobs and putting things away. I managed to fit in one episode of Revolution, which wasn't a bad effort given everything else I was doing! Tinka watched too for a while before she decided to go and wait patiently at the special cookies drawer in case someone took pity on her and gave her some. Of course, I did, but really, that cat is sometimes insatiable when it comes to those cookies!

Maggie is still holding her position in the spa although she has been sleeping with M and then moving back into the spa straight after breakfast. She does seem to enjoy it there - and she's even getting a bit braver about staying in the bathroom while showers are taking place. Although I just don't know how it is that when you tell her it's her very last chance to leave the bathroom before the bathroom door gets closed, that she waits for a couple of beats until you have everything ready to step into the shower and then she makes her move to the door ... and how she knows she will be let out!

Dinosaurs

I now have proof that lemons can cost $2 for 2 ... this was Coles Nerang today. Of course, i could have had a better price had I sprung for a 5-pack for ... $4.98.

I also managed to fit in a couple of Christmas purchases today - finger puppets (dinosaurs ...raaahrg) and some new Christmas CDs which, for $2, are amazingly good. I suspect the original artists will never be paid for their contribution to said CDs and given the choirs are not even named on the disc insert there will be no anonymous donation making its way to them anytime soon! (The dinosaurs shown are not the ones I bought.)

 

Friday

The end of the week has finally come and, this week, that's kind of okay. I didn't think I had been having late nights but I must have because I'm a bit on the tired side. I didn't fall asleep at Maccas this morning - which is a good thing ... because I did yesterday morning ... just for a moment or two ... but enough to make me think that maybe I could be having just a bit more sleep.

This week's storm

Pearl came down the lane with me this morning - it is taking less and less coaxing each time - and the good news is that she hadn't pulled up lame after her trips down to the felled tree - especially since M had taken her down twice the day it happened (see, I'm not even totally sure when that was now). I gave her a Dental Chew this morning as her post-walk treat and she doesn't seem to have bled today. This is a good thing. Her blood test results are back as well - and they couldn't find anything out of the ordinary so they'll now have to do further checks - a closer look down her throat - which she'll need to have a sedative for - and they'll probably look at her liver too - which could account for the puffing she's been doing. I think I heard M say that she's booked in for next Wednesday - hopefully it won't interfere with Bingo ... especially as they've been on a bit of a winning streak lately.

Sooz and I went for dinner up at The Advancetown Hotel last night - and Trivia was on. We were too late to play ... but I'm not sure that we would have played even if we had been there on time. But the Quiz Master (greeted us like long-lost friends - so that was a nice welcome! And dinner wasn't bad either. We didn't stay until the end of Trivia - Sooz took pity on me ... and the answers to the questions we heard, we were able to look up on the interweb so we didn't have to wait to find out what they were.

The grape vine is definitely in need of a serious prune again ... and it has some kind of fungus on it which I think Jane mentioned to M ... and what we need to put on it to fix it. That might be a job for the weekend.

There were still a couple of raspberries on the plant when S arrived home and M picked them for her ... two little ones were all that were left. Sooz totally loved them ... and now we're wondering how long it will be before the plant produces some more. The lemon tree is still producing - which is a good thing because word on the street is that lemons are now $1 in some places. (And , yes, Mum is still planning to make Lemon Meringue Pie for Boxing Day Christmas ... and Trifle as well.)

For a change, there was no rain today ... actually, now that I think about it was there rain - and it was so heavy at one point that we thought it might actually be hailing. It wasn't ... but it was enough to give Le and AC from work, who were out on the Friday Tuckshop run, a bit of a soaking ... so that means it must have been lunchtime. It wasn't morning tea because that was delivered - a range of hot savories including party pies, pizza, spring rolls etc etc - something different as it was Felix's farewell from the project - and from the company. He's having two months' holiday - including going to play with the Great White Sharks (are they the same as White Pointers) down near Adelaide.

The vending machine

The big news at work though was that the vending machine that had arrived earlier in the week (a month later than promised) and was then taken away the same day because they were unhappy that the machine (brand new off the boat from whatever country these things come from) would be outside - and that it would only be here for the last 6 months of the project. They had decided to send an old machine instead. Imagine our surprise when another new machine turned up ... and later in the day was stocked with lots of goodies that we hadn't actually ordered - but they said we can let them know what other products we want in and they will provide them. The boys are stoked that the cans of drink out of the machine are only $1.40 - much cheaper than the other one - and that they have made the mistake of including V and RedBull rather than Mother.

Was that a snake I saw down in L's paddock this afternoon as I was walking Pearl? It could easily have been a duck in the long grass though - so I'm not going to mention it to anyone - and there was no way I was going down to have a closer look!

Sooz offered to cook spaghetti bolognese for dinner tonight - but then changed her mind and suggested we have sausages instead. I admit what I suggested next was solely because I didn't want to clean up dishes and pots and pans afterwards - so we had Roast Chicken dinner from Red Rooster.

I unearthed some of the Christmas decorations for Sooz this morning and she has located other ones during the day - so it looks as though it won't be long before the Christmas Tree comes out and there are decorations throughout the house ... and then we can all say "it's beginning to look a lot like ..." Sooz even managed to find "My Hanky" - as seen on South Park - today ... Hi De Hi!!! And when they were showing a Maggie Beer Christmas Feast Special tonight, they had a young Mezza Soprano who sang a carol that Cartman on South Park also sings ... and there is no way I can hear it without thinking of his version ... and the boys and Gerald and the Dreidel song.

 

Thursday

9.10 11.12.13

How could I have forgotten what we did in the office yesterday? We set an alarm so we could make sure that we noted when the clock read: 9.10.11.12.13 or 9.10am on 11 December 2013. When we were still trying to work out the best way to photograph it on the computer - yes, I know, you would have thought that was something we would have planned beforehand - rather than in that one minute ... it changed. Luckily I had taken a screen shot - which was the clearest of all the photographs - just before it changed to 9.11.11.12.13 - which doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

Gum 1

Pearl came for a walk with me this afternoon down to where the River Gum was felled in the storm. Alas, I didn't have my wide-angle-lens with me - so I wasn't quite able to portray the size of the tree - it was truly massive. I'm not sure what's going to happen to the wood, but I do think I heard something about B probably going to arrange to have the tree cut up and burned. It's going to be a big job.

I could say that nothing exciting happened at work today - but that wouldn't be quite the truth. Around lunchtime we could hear much laughter outside and saw that there were a group of people gathered in the doorway - and out in the yard taking photographs. In return for his prank of gaffa-taping someone's lunchbox shut, Nop had been "got back" which meant he was gaffa-taped to his lunchbox - and then he and it were gaffa-taped to a chair. See ... there's always something that gaffa tape is handy for.

We didn't get another storm today - but there was some excitement mid-morning when four of the guys came in from the worksite ... a brown snake, about a metre long, had been discovered in the form work and it had been decided that the wiser course of action was to give a snake-catcher a call and have them remove it. Hmmm ... now that I think about it, it wouldn't have been a bad move to take his name - just in case the snakes come back out this way.

Gingerbread house

Sooz arrived back from Nambour early this afternoon and she was able to successfully direct Jenny to Latimers. One of the first things they noticed when they came in was the Ginger Bread House that M won at her lunch at The Big House yesterday. It's very sweet and is probably destined to be at Mouse's for Christmas Day Lunch ... which reminds me, we'd better check if she still has the "Scratchie Christmas Tree" which will definitely need replenishing before it comes out on the day.

M had a productive day and finally secured a new oven for Mouse. Hopefully they will be able to have it working, if not completely installed, in time for Christmas. (I must ask if there has been any word on when the Russians are due.)

I was without a furry again last night - I don't know if Maggie is still in the spa or not (she was this morning but asked to be let out before I steamed up the bathroom when I had my shower), but Tinka was last seen trotting towards Sooz's bed, and Pearl was asleep in the breezeway.

 

Wednessday

Felled banana tree

Tom at work had predicted rain this afternoon but even he was surprised when a massive storm swept over the area around 5pm. The lightning show was amazing - and there were a few people gathered outside to watch it - since they were not willing to brave the driving rain to get to their cars ... it was going-home-time afterall! We lost power for about a minute and I'll need to check how much data I lost when my computer went down.

Back at Latimers, the storm was wreaking a bit of havoc. It took out some of the big river gums - and when I say big, I mean massive. As M said, it must have been the wind because there were no burn marks on the felled trees (hers or B's). Ja was around when the storm happened and he saw the caravan picked up, dumped in L's paddock, picked up again, dumped back into B's ... and then it collapsed. Materials from the new shed they're building at B's were strewn through L's paddock - but luckily no horses appear to have been injured by the flying sheets of tin. Lucky! Otherwise there was leaf-litter throughout. Some of the buildings you would have thought wouldn't survive, have, so that says a lot for their construction or the fairly random path of the storm!

Meanwhile, on the Sunshine Coast, even there were some rumblings as though there was a storm on the way, by the time I spoke with Sooz, it hadn't yet arrived. The same with Toowoomba when I rang Mum after she texted to say she'd received the photos I'd posted to her on Monday night (well done Australia Post!).

The caravan

Work was good today - AC is back and in fine form although she was a little tired following her overnight in Brisbane with her mother. She's going up again tonight and said she may be a little late depending on the traffic when she leaves Brisbane at 6 or so in the morning. The only hiccup today was when the new vending machine arrived - only a month late - and then left again shortly after because someone had realised we are only a temporary office and the machine was not going to spend its life inside. So they took our brand new, just off the boat, machine away - and are going to replace it with a "old one". I hope it's going to be soon because the boys are getting a bit antsy about not having a vending machine ... and I'm definitely with them!

Pearl went to the vet this afternoon and they could find nothing wrong with her even through they examined her mouth thoroughly. Pearl was exceptional - opening wide for them and letting The Tev have a good explore. In the end, they decided it might have something to do with her ability to clot and they're doing a full blood test to see if they can work out what's happening with her. In the meantime, M's not feeding her in her usual make-Pearl-eat-slowly bowl and there doesn't appear tom have been another bleed so far.

Even though Sooz is still away, Tinka started out the night, at least, on her bed. I asked her if she wanted to come up with me but she replied in the negative - but she did let me give her a chuck under the chin before I went off to bed. Pearl was in the breezeway when I passed and didn't get up and follow me in ... so there were no furries to make the bedroom hotter tonight!

I'm amazed that the Neilsen people haven't been in touch since Sooz left - I don't think the television has been turned on once ... certainly not the one in the living room - although I think M may have watched part of the Nelson Mandela Memorial Service on her set in the bedroom.

 

Tuesday

It was another early start this morning - Sooz had to be at Maccas for the pick-up (she and Jen are off to the Sunshine Coast this morning) at 6am. And we made it with 10 minutes - time for Sooz to get a tea-to-go and a raisin toast before Jen arrived. Then, after packing her stuff into Jen's car, I went back in to have breakfast - and was there ten minutes before I usually get there. And who knew Jo's shift (at McCafe) starts at 3 - or was that 3.30 - whichever way, it's way too early! But I'm sure the early-risers do appreciate it (I do too!).

Work kept me busy with Site Diaries today - and I'd caught right up-to-date until another pile landed on my desk late this afternoon. Still, I enjoy doing them - and I'm seeing some different dockets at the moment (we're in the asphalting stage on one section of the project) and deciphering them is proving to be quite interesting. AC was away today and it's never quite the same when she isn't around ... she was off with her Mum who is having her first radiation treatment after having a tumour removed from the side of her face. She seems to be doing well though ... although the interfamily issues are continuing. It's funny how stress and worry get played out sometimes.

M solved the problem of the pool of water on the living room floor - it was the night of Mouse's birthday celebrations when there were huge storms on the coast. We weren't sure where the water had come from but feared it was a leak in the roof. As it turns out, M has now discovered that it comes from the plant on the far side of the room ... if it is overwatered, the overflow makes its way through the gaps in the tiles, helped by the slightly sloping floor - and pools on the other side of the room near the door. What amazes me is that it overflows from the gaps onto the tiles ... it's at moments like this that I wish I understood physics better ... or at all actually.

Raspberry

M was very excited this afternoon because she had discovered some raspberries (four of them) on the bush. It is incredible, when you think about it, that by putting a plant in soil and watering it, give it some sun, some rain, and some time ... and it will produce fruit. Hopefully one or two will still be there when Sooz arrives back so she can try one.

Which reminds me, I'll have to prune the grapevine back again - it's growing all over the place and at this rate there is no sign of it flowering into fruit. I may need to just check the time frame for grapes ... there must be something on the interweb!

Jo has posted some photos of Canada on her FaceBook page yesterday ... which means they arrived there safely and appear to have made that connecting flight in Sydney in the 30 minutes they had! Canada looks absolutely stunning in the pics and despite Jo's concern that she didn't have enough warm clothes for the trip she didn't look as though she had frozen ... yet.

Sooz had a good day on the Sunshine Coast - the facility they visit up there is one of her favourites for the study. They'd had a nice dinner at the Club but both she and Jen had had incidents in the shower in their cabins. There is a slatted wooden "thing" to stand on in the shower and both of them "fell" off it when it tipped. It pitched Jen out of the shower and Sooz into the shower ... just as well Jen's a physiotherapist because she's been able to tell Sooz exactly what she needed to do for her now-twisted knee. But the cabins they are staying in are very nice ... and not just because they have free Wi-Fi (I'm not sure if Sooz realises this ... I read it on their website!) - bush setting, pool on site ... lovely!

 

Monday

The apple tart!

Well, Ni really put her foot into it at Trivia this evening ... and the "it" would be one of the apple pies she had baked today! She had two of them in a bag which she'd put on the ground next to her when she arrived - and then forgot them when she stood up to take our Round 1 answers over - and stepped straight on them ... but they were still good ... actually better than good! She wasn't the only one to do baking today - Sooz had spent the day with An after she'd taken her to a medical appointment - and one of An's jobs for today was some baking. We didn't see the results of her baking at Trivia though ... but Sooz says it was wonderful! She had a great day with An she was saying ... just what she needed!

Sooz's off to the Sunshine Coast tomorrow - but she got to see M this evening because she's now back from her Sydney visit. She came bearing gifts (thanks M) and I'm looking forward to having my Laksa for lunch tomorrow! Sooz will take her Mince Pies away with her and I can imagine she and Je will enjoy them with a cup of tea or two.

We have confirmed that the mystery bleeder is not Tinka - and not just because M had the call from The Tevs saying that all Tinka's tests came back negative and she is fighting fit. Nope, based on the blood in her dinner bowl - it's Pearl and while M couldn't see any obvious problems in her mouth, the general consensus is that it's probably a gum or tooth problem. She has her booked in to see The Tev on Wednesday (her Tev of choice isn't there tomorrow).

The other mystery of the day for me was "who closed the gate?". When I arrived home this evening, the gate was closed and for the life of me I couldn't work out why: was it to keep Pearl in, was it there to keep something or someone else out? I checked with B while Pearl and I walked up to his shed, but he didn't know; Sooz didn't know. As it turned out ... it was An ... she told me at Trivia that the last time she visited Latimers, we had been closing the gate (to keep Pearl in) - so she had followed that protocol and closed it!

M and Mouse seem to have had a good time in Sydney - although M said it was sad seeing Mouse's friend Anu who has not been well for a while now. They were able to spend most of Saturday afternoon with her - before going out to dinner with the family at a new restaurant, Mr Wongs, which is apparently hatted and very good.

Did I mention that we were finally back on the highest level of the Podium again tonight ... it seems like a long time between wins - probably because it is! We were all fairly pleased with our performance - 75 out of a possible 80 - equalling our previous best score but FI said he would have preferred to get 78 or so - and, you know, we would have been one point closer had we listened to him when he said Ayers Rock was made of sandstone... not basalt! And that's as much of a post-mortem as there's going to be this week!

 

Sunday

Markets - without Mouse

The morning call with Tr was well underway when it suddenly occurred to me that Jo was flying off to Canada this morning with Rachel for a two-week visit. When I texted to see when she was leaving, she replied: "Waiting for the flight to Sydney. Ours was cancelled. Gives us half an hour to make our connecting flights😔". At least when I rang her they had managed to find their passports - which had gone missing when they put them down near them while they re-packed their carrying-on bags to put their make-up into their luggage (apparently a new requirement). Luckily the passports had been handed in (phew) but Jo was still concerned about the (very real) possibility of missing the connecting flight - and that she and Ra (14) were not sitting together on the flight to Canada - they were sitting behind each other.

Sooz decided to have an "at home" day, even eschewing the Markets, so she could finish off her scoring and start getting things ready for her trip to the Sunshine Coast for work this week,

I was expecting a small turnout at the Markets since M and Mouse are away = and Az and Mo had other plans - but we ended up with (short pause for a remembered head count) 13 or so! Even Ba came and he seems quite well and in good form after his operation (that we're supposed to know nothing about ... and we don't really - just that he had one and that they were all being very secretive about it ... as is their wont) but he does seem to have lost a little weight in the few weeks since we saw him last.

It's only takes someone to be away for you to realise how much they do ... usually it's Mouse who gets the tables of a Sunday morning, and wipes them down, and brings the utensils, cuts the tomatoes ... and while Mi did her best to fill in ... it just wasn't the same - but thanks for doing it Mi!

St was there today, with Ni and Ca, and he was showing me how to "fake it" with the boys when they were doing soccer talk. I have learned some valuable lessons including that iPhone's Siri, when you ask her to look up the FIFA World Rankings, offers you Feifer World Rankings, but still manages to go off and get them. Australia is in 59th position and not likely to make Brazil for the World Cup in June!

Spa anyone?

Post-markets, I made a quick trip to Harvey Norman to get some pics developed for Mum for her Christmas presents for We and Te. Well it was supposed to be a quick visit but when I fronted the counter with my $2.10 (to pay for the pics I had just ordered) they told me it was going to be an hour and a half before they were ready ... leaving more than enough time to be lead astray in the store and still have time for a leisurely hot beverage at the coffee shop across the way! So what had started out to be a quick trip turned into nearly 6 hours including the drive in and out. Yes, I didn't have to stay until everyone left the Markets (12 noon today - not bad given the Markets supposedly close at 11am).

Cane toad

Maggie is still spending most of her time in the spa but she did come out for dinner before taking herself back there. We're hoping she's not ailing for something - and I'm just wondering if it's anything to do with the tablet M gave her the other morning. Hmmm. We shall see but as long as she's comfortable, that's the important thing ... and I'm sure we'll get used to the feeling of being watched while we're in the shower!

And no recount of the day would be complete without noting that when I put on my shoe this morning, it felt a bit weird - and I thought something might have fallen into it from my rather crowded "dresser" but when I shook my shoe - what should pop out but ... a cane toad. I am still trying to work out how it got inside the house ... and the bedroom ... and how long it's been hiding against the background of the carpet. At least I'm taking heart in that if there are cane toads chances are good that there are no snakes (and no, I don't need to know that snakes don't eat cane toads at this point).

 

Saturday

Henry

Masterplan of the day ... go to SeaWorld and get a photo (or maybe two) of Henry the new Polar Bear Cub. This meant sleeping in until 7:30 - doing the cat tray ... it's a while since I started the day with one of them! - taking Pearl for her walk (because we all know I was going to get in a step or two at SeaWorld), having a quick breakfast with Sooz, making sure I had my newly-purchased VIP pass - and making sure I had all the camera gear I needed ...and still be at SeaWorld in time to be at the end of a very long line. But it was all worth it because, as suggested by SeaWorld when I rang earlier in the week - the cub is often out first thing in the morning - although, at some points while I was waiting in the admission line, I felt I wasn't going to get in to Polar Bear Land that long before lunchtime. Impatient? Much!

Leah

Unbeknownst to me, Ne was also at SeaWorld today with his granddaughter - although they arrived shortly after I left - not hard given I left just before lunchtime as Sooz and I were planning to go to dinner tonight at The Big House - using vouchers won during The Great Swipings (thanks again M) - which meant I definitely needed a nana nap this afternoon.

Henry

We were at Jupiters early - before 5:30pm - and who should we bump into there but Az and Mo who were doing the same thing as we were - cashing in vouchers and having a free meal at Food Fantasy.

I ended up not having that nana nap, instead I caught up with The Blacklist ... hmm ... it presents so many questions:  Where to now? And just what is Lizzie to Red? We'll have to wait until at least January 2014 to find out!

Leah

The kids were well-behaved today in their mother's absence. I took Pearl for a walk this afternoon while Sooz was feeding the feline furries. Maggie has been spending a lot of time in the spa (like being on a holiday retreat for her) and Tinka chose to spend the night on Sooz's bed tonight.

We didn't see any new Christmas lights on our way home - we had gone for a short drive through the immediate area on Thursday night looking at what was on offer and even though some were much bigger productions than others - you could see that everyone who had lights up had at least made the effort!

 

Friday

How long is a piece of string?

Sooz, An and M had their Aqua Christmas party today in Southport. They were expecting it to be just their Aqua group but it was the ongoing Aqua Christmas Lunch - this is the 8th year or so that it's been held and, all up, Sooz reckoned there were about 30 women there ... and some very nice ones at that. Sooz didn't mention if there were any men there ... and I had thought there might have been given there has been at least one man at the Aqua classes over the months.

More string construction

The Christmas lunch included a Kris Kringle which was quite cleverly organised ... each gift was given a number when it arrived and then the numbers were put in a hat, and then each person picked a number and was given the correspondingly numbered gift. Sooz ended up with a bottle of wine and a wine cooler; An a dolphin, and M a ... hmmm, I can't remember if Sooz said or if I just can't remember it because I didn't see it because they both left them at the lunch ... they had gone back to say goodbye and thank you to So, who organised the lunch, and left their Kris Kringles on the table ... but So has them and will hand them over at Aqua on Monday.

AC's teacup

The good news is that Mi picked up Mouse and M in good time to get them to the airport for their flight ... not that there was ever any doubt that she would (no ... really) but there's always the chance that there will be traffic snarl on the highway ... although, come to think of it, Mi almost never gets caught in them. There is this special thing called Kr time ... and sometimes it's though they are so pressed for time, that they make it just bend back in on itself and get where they are going even before they have left! Mi is the only one who can leave for the airport in Brisbane an hour before her flight and still get there in plenty of time!

B dropped in late this afternoon to save there would be roadworks on the other driveway this evening. I didn't hear a thing but it did wake Sooz and Pearl at various times during the night.

Work was good this afternoon (well, all day actually even though I was kept busy again doing the Site Diaries) with AC deciding that while she was archiving there was something else she could do with a piece of string - besides finding out how long a piece of string is - that was Ia's job - and Ma also got in on the string construction act!

 

Thursday

I was brave enough this morning to go and have a look at where the snake was yesterday - and I was surprised to see it is still there. I told M and she was surprised as well and said that she thought it could be sick. That would be right ... another (non)furry that could go to The Tevs with Tinka today. So why is Tinka off to The Tevs? She appears to be bleeding - we're not sure where - but there had been little drops of blood around the place and as far as anyone can ascertain, they are spots where Tinka normally hands out - on the bed, near the litter tray, behind the fan in the bedroom ... so while it is not her for certain, it seems that she is the most likely candidate. As it turned out she seems to be AOK so whether it's something that just happens from time to time - and it appears there is something where they do for a few days - and then it just goes away until the next time - or not her at all is something we will need to keep an eye on. But The Tevs are sending away a sample of her urine and if she needs to be on antibiotics they will let M know, who will let us know so we can collect them and start giving them to Tinka while M is away in Sydney.

Sooz, M and I went out to dinner at the Italian at Highlands Park tonight - and while it was okay, I think we all thought that the Q Centre and Chinese at the Fast Wok might have been a better choice. Mind you, it was amazing to see one waitress looking after a full restaurant and being able to keep most everyone happy ... and I think it would have been a bit better if the restaurant hadn't been packed and there hadn't been that many bodies churning out heat! There was no way the fans and the air conditioner could keep up with it!

Maggie has been busy lately ... I'm not sure what day it was but she gave M a huge fright (remember the recent snake sightings) when she jumped out of the cupboard unexpectedly!! And who said cats don't have a sense of humour?

Wednesday

Bingo! ... although not for Sooz because she is out working again this week. Our players did have some success though - a full house, and a line, and neither M nor An had to share their wins.

Based on that, no just kidding, I think it may have more to do with M is going to Sydney with Mouse on the weekend, M did manage to jump on ROM and go round the yard again ... oh wait, it may have something to do with the recent snake sightings ... because there was one again today! While M was mowing Hermes' yard she spotted a somewhat larger python than Monday's BBQ version (I don't think the thought was entertained for a moment that it might have been the same one which has grown a bit after it left) - and when she went back to look after the mowing was done, it was still there. When I arrived home, she took me up to see it and rather than jumping up on the fence and looking over, I went through the fence and looked through the wire fence at it ... it was awake - which it hadn't been when M saw it the first time ... but not looking as though it was moving anywhere in a hurry ... obviously what I was hoping since I was down on the ground with it!

Quite unexpectedly, especially after winning the meat tray the other night at Trivia, we had Chinese for dinner tonight ... when I rang and asked Sooz if she wanted me to bring anything ome for Dinner, she said "Combination Soup". She was worn out from her day at work but she did get to hear Christmas carolling as the facility residents were having a Christmas Concert. She didn't do well with lunch though ... the cafe on site (which she now knows also prepares lunches for the residents) was "busy" but she was able to buy some sandwiches from their fridge - including a tuna and cheese one (who would ever have thought to put those flavours together? But I suppose they are two of the main ingredients in tuna bake. But at least M had left her with an apple - and they had had breakfast before M dropped her off.

Tuesday

Where does the time go? But at least OfficeWorks is open until 9pm weekeday, which is where I was this evening, picking up some stationery and absolutely loving the opportunity to wander around the almost empty store (no need to hide the stationery "drool" this way). I am still in awe of their walls of pens ... and I could happily spend the evening trying different ones except I have so many pens now, I really can't justify getting even one more. <Sigh>

There was no sign of Mr Snake today - although we are on the lookout for him. Mind you, it was dark by the time I arrived home - and I took great care to ensure my boots were off the ground and upside down - not that the snake could fit in them of course - well, not an adult one! I wonder how long before he or a friend wIll be back ... and how do you "sex" a snake ... as in tell its gender? Not that I'm ever likely to be that close to one ... but it is interesting. It reminds me of when they brought in the "fast" method of sexing chickens where accredited sexers can do hundreds in an hour.

I took the opportunity while I was up their way to have dinner with Jo in Ormeau.The family was there too. The focus was on a woman who had just moved over from New Zealand - a friend of Ke's daughter. She had been having a hard time in NZ and had arranged to move in with Su (Ke's daughter) but had fled to Australia (with her 14-year-old daugther) two weeks earlier than planned after a visit by "the mob" who wanted "their colours" back and were prepared to bash her to retrieve them. Also getting a mention, but not much of one, was Jo and Ra's trip to Canada - starting Monday - and the boy who has for the last two days been holed up in Ca's bedroom with her. Ca's had, when last heard from, texted to see what was for dinner!

You just have the quiet life at Latimer, with the furries - they don't get into much strife!

Monday

M's picture of the visitor

It's always nice to have visitors but some are more welcome than others! Sy was coming today, with her trailer, to help M take some rubbish to the tip. In preparation, M was doing some tidying up around the side - which is when she found the "carpet-bagger"aka snake. She was very calm - Sooz said she only knew something was up when she heard M repeating the same word over and over again (no hints as to which one). We have no way of knowing how long it's been resting there, under the BBQ cover, but it wasn't there for long afterwards ... when Sooz and M arrived back from Aqua this afternoon they checked ... and it was gone. "But where?" I asked when they were telling me about it this afternoon - as I then carefully balanced my boots upside down on the laundry rack. It's funny though, because I had been thinking it was time there was a snake about ... I was fully expecting to see one this afternoon on my way from the office back to the car - and was pleased I had my work boots and long pants on should that encounter happen. "And you've got long sleeves" Sooz said as I told her this ... although I'm really not sure I would have the presence of mind to wind my shirt sleeves down if I saw a snake anywhere in the immediate vicinity!

Trivia was excellent. We came second - by one point. Ah, it all could have been different if we'd just chosen "Colours" as a bonus round - and listened more to each other. Still, it wasn't a bad score - and thanks to An's strategy suggestion - taking both bonus rounds in the first half we walked away with a $15 Voucher (half-time winner), a $30 voucher and 1 entry into the cash drawer (overall Second) and 5 drink vouchers since we correctly guessed the Baffler. And, just as importantly, we were able to agree a night for our Trivia dinner thanks to our $250 win in the cash draw a couple of months ago now. I also booked us in to the restaurant - so that's all a job well done! Heh heh - luckily (because it was not planned) we didn't book for a Monday night or we would have missed out on Trivia that week. Although maybe we could have gone to Tallai - which apparently has a cash prize on the night for the last three questions. It jackpots if it's not won and is currently over $700.

It is rubbish night tonight and even though I offered to tow the bin up to the road M said no, she'd take it up and by the time we arrived home it was out and the Christmas lights were on and welcoming us home. Just as well, because Pearl wasn't! It was a bit later tonight - we had lingered at the Club so Sooz could win a jackpot ... and so we would have more of a chance of remembering to take the Meat Tray with us ... we failed miserably last week ... and didn't even think to collect it on Wednesday when the girls were there for Bingo!

 

Sunday

The day dawned cool in Kyogle and I would have donned a Flanellette shirt if I'd had one with me. It was good though and as I crunched over the frost with hands thrust deep into my jeans pockets (heh heh, just kidding) on the way from "the house" to Unit 2 at the Motel - and wifi - so I could make the Skype call with Tr, I was definitely looking forward to a hot cup of tea.

Even though breakfast had been scheduled for 8.30 am, it was closer to 10 by the time the teenagers had been pried out of Unit 1, Pat out of his bed, and Mi and Ch distracted from their motel duties long enough to take a moment. Breakfast was eclectic, but good ... fresh fruit salad, spinach pie and scones, and a cuppa of course. Then Ch loaded us up with fresh honey, lime juice, soap and Girl Guide biscuits and we set off - on the road again - on the way back to Latimers.

First though, it was a stop off at Tugun Beach to soak in some beach views and ocean breezes ... and, for me, remembering people we have been to this stretch of coastline with ... and there have been a few.

Then, back to Latimers, and a less than hearty welcome from the watch dog, Pearl, who, you guessed it, did bark but didn't get up to come out to greet us. It was left to us to find her in the breezeway and give her a big pat ... and then she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Tugun Beach

We made it back just before the big winds started and, for a moment, we thought there was going to be a storm as well ... we had seen the clouds gathered over Latimers when we looked back over the Hinterland from the coast. But while there may have been a few drops in it, there wasn't much ... just as well we've had heaps of rain lately anyway - as evidenced by the lawn almost needing to be ROM'd again.

The Markets continued without us today - and just as well we hadn't rushed back to catch the last bit - because most of them had left early (well, earlier than usual) to go to the opening of the new hall at the Muslim school. The Mayor and The Minister (for Education) were supposed to be in attendance.

I was glad to have the afternoon at home ... catching up on some sleep, some television viewing, thinking about doing some work on some puzzles, fetching some cookies for Tinka (and then some more), letting Maggie in and out (before she took up residence in the bathtub - which is where she came from for dinner and where she went to after dinner), and playing with Pearl (while she awake), and catching up with M when she arrived home.

It was a great weekend ... and I had no problems going to bed early ... looking forward to the coming week.

 

Saturday

Day's end: sitting out on the Kyogle Motel front verandah - listening to the chirping of insects - or is that frogs - off in the near distance and the teenagers in Room 1. And Michael saying he was wearing thick socks to keep the bikies away - well that was what Sooz heard - he actually said bities - otherwise there would be something he could be sharing with the anti-bikie task force!

As planned, we made it to Kyogle in time to take three of Lo's friends in our car to rollerblading. There were 11 of us in total - but we only had to pay for the 9 kids because, as the man told us "they don't charge parents to watch". Today is Lo's 15th birthday and I think the rollerblading was a good way to celebrate - and it was very entertaining to watch - and fascinating to see how they just kept persisting going around the rink time after time trying to "get it". It wasn't as entertaining to watch Lo kissing her 18-year-old boyfriend - in fact, it was a bit confronting ... actually a lot confronting. As Sooz told me she had boyfriends when she was 13 but that doesn't make it any easier to see. I can remember when Lo was one year old, sitting in a high chair - and the only thing she was interested in was the chicken leg she had in her hand - and the other one in her other hand. They grow up way too fast.

It was a very early start this morning - we were up at 4:45 am and as I was packing the car soon after I heard a voice saying "It's all right Little One - it's just like going to work - just more fun" ... and it was me!

Birthday presents

Dinner with Louise and her friends was interesting. They had spent the afternoon watching movies while Sooz and I had caught up on some of the sleep we missed out on this morning ... and, of course, because of the time change, I have no idea what time it was/is and I exhaust myself trying to work it out. I can only imagine what time I will actually be on Skype to talk with Tr in the morning.

Pat showed us a photograph he purchased at Eumundi Markets while they were on the Sunshine Coast recentlyt ... it was of a plane flying through a hangar at the Amberly Airforce base. It is a fake ... where some airmen jacked the plane up in the hangar, and took the photograph while one of them cowered in terror to make it look as though the plane was flying over him. In the darkroom, the struts were "removed" to present the illusion. Not bad "photoshopping" for 1955!

Rollerblading

We were planning to get out and about in Lismore while the kids were rollerblading - there are apparently some good second-hand shops and art gallery around the town - while the kids were rollerblading - but we decided not to. We stayed ... Sooz read the Sydney Morning Herald on the iPad while I took photographs of the kids ... and the other children on the rink. Some of them were very very good ... some of them, not so much - but at least they were out there giving it a go. I thought about it ... but that's as far as it went.

We are staying in "the house" tonight and as we walked home it didn't take much to notice that the house across the road has indeed started their festive season ... it is alight with Christmas lights. It's good ... because we wanted to see Xmas lights tonight - Kyogle is usually good for them - but I didn't want to have to drive around to find them.

 

Friday

We could have gone to dinner at Mouse's with David and his family but I truly just didn't have it in me this evening. Luckily there were Mouse leftovers from last night for our dinner otherwise it would have been a much harder decision to make. M went in though ... good daughter that she is!

Paddle Pops

It was another busy day at work, catching up with more Site Diaries ... but they do make the day seem as though it is going incredibly quickly even though it was Tuckshop Friday! My special treat today - chicken sandwiches ... just what I felt like. When Le and AC went out to get the lunches, they snuck an afternoon tea surprise back in to the office - Paddle Pops all round - choice of Caramel or Rainbow - hmmm - who ever thought Rainbow would be a flavour? It must be years since I had a Paddle Pop - in my senior years I have preferred Calippos - especially when driving on hot days because they don't have the capacity to drip down your shirt like an ice confection on a stick.

After Maggie's late night out last night, she was the first one in this evening. She came in well before 8:30 and settled herself on the kitchen table - sprawling over as much of it as she was able - and making sure part of her was resting on the Lazy Susan. She seems to love it!

Sooz went into Pacific Fair with M so she could do present buying for Lo's birthday tomorrow ... she had a list of anime DVDs that Lo had given her and was able to find the #1 item on the list. Thank you JB HiFi (even if we don't get a staff discount there!).

By the time I arrived home, the craters were gone - filled and smoothed and okay to drive on. It is a lovely trip down the lane now ... and quite different since the speed bump outside L's seems to have been lost in the roadworks.

 

Thursday

I admit it ... I was totally suckered in by "The Hunger Games Catching Fire" but still half way through I thought it was good they would have a resolution because I didn't know that I wanted to put up with the evil ways of President Snow (funny how his name would suggest all that is good and bright yet he is anything but ... in the eyes of some at least). I don't want to have to issue any SPOILER ALERTs so I'll keep quiet about what happens. The upshot ... I did enjoy it ... even though it didn't end the way I had predicted about half way through (or what I thought was half way through ... it's hard to tell in the dark). It was nice of An to come out to Nerang to see the movie. I hadn't realised how tired I would be at the end of it ... we went in at 6:20 and didn't emerge until nearly 9 o'clock!

Sooz's Mum was admitted to hospital today after her "shopper", who goes along to help her do the weekly shop and have an outing, noticed that she wasn't well. When they got back to the house, Je phoned Ju's doctor who suggested that it was better to call the ambulance and take it from there.

Sooz is out at the moment - having dinner at Mouse's with Da, his father, and his sister after their next meeting with the University to see what happens about his course. Given that it's almost my normal bedtime now, I'll probably have to wait until tomorrow to find out what happened there, if anything, and with Sooz's Mum ... and I can only think because there has been no call about Ju, it must be okay in that quarter. I hope so because I know Sooz will be beside herself with worry - especially since her mother is so far away. But at least she has let her brother know what is happening and if anything needs to be done, they can make a plan together.

It was a busy day at work again today - something to do with it being the end of month and time for the financials to be tallied again. You think that would be something happening the whole month through, but the way they work the accounts at Head Office, they usually come through in a huge batch ... you guessed it ... at the end of the month. Ideally, you want the invoices to come mid-month so you can work on the Claim to the client - and have that well in hand by the time you need to think about paying the subcontractors - and while the two are related ... and they are, this is a message our H.O. accounts people do not yet appear to have. Hopefully it will become better as the job progresses - although they only have 6 or 7 end of months before the project is due to wrap.

Be careful what you wish for ... it was dark when I turned into the lane this evening and it was scary to find witches hats up around the hole that's been cut in the road for them to do the Crater repairs ... and, luckily, that served as warning about the next one. I am going to go out on much of a limb here and say that it doesn't meet the Australian Standards, but, because it is on private land, it probably doesn't need to.

I meant to say the other day that M, although she had been less than lukewarm about going to the concert, really did enjoy Monday's performance by Raul Midón. He is well worth looking up on YouTube as an example of how talented one person can be - he plays guitar, bongos and sings all at the same time - and while that might be something you might expect to see on a streetcorner with a busker who is also clanging cymbals between their knees, this was nothing like that. Oh .. he also makes trumpet/saxaphone noises with his mouth as well - and if you weren't looking you wouldn't believe he didn't have an instrument!

Maggie was out again last night and despite persistent calls by me and by M when she arrived home, she had still not come in by the time we went into lockdown. But she did finally come in - just before 2 I was awakened by the sounds of a cat altercation and went out ... Tinka was looking out the front door and when I shooed her away so she wouldn't take the opportunity to go out, she took up a position on the table - looking out the window. I called Maggie and she came almost straightaway - although she kept looking over her shoulder, toward the garage, and in the end I had to scoop her up and carry her inside. She ran straight up the back and buried her head in her dinner bowl! Lockdown.